An increase in drug smuggling and terrorist activities have led to a demand for increased inspection of motor vehicles namely cars and trucks that travel from one country to another as well as those entering secure areas. As a result of the increase in terrorism, more and more hotels, hospitals, office buildings, etc. are erecting security barriers and limiting access to their facilities and inspecting those vehicles before the vehicles are permitted to enter the premises.
At many facilities, motor vehicles are inspected by checking the interiors of the vehicle, inspecting under the hood i.e. the engine compartment, trunk and using an inclined mirror to look under the outer periphery of the vehicle. At some facilities, inspectors use mirrors on an elongated handle that can be manipulated to allow minor movements.
For example, a U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,792 of Ibrahim displays a pole-type vehicle inspection apparatus having a motorized mirror capable of universal rotation about two axes. As disclosed, the device has a handle, a pole and a foot with a rotatable mirror mounted on the foot. The mirror is attached to the foot by a pivot shaft about which the mirror is capable of 2 degrees of rotational freedom in order to turn the plane of the mirror at various angles with respect to the foot. Rotation about the pivot shaft is actuated by an electric motor in the foot. The motor is inter-connected with a toggle switch in the handle. Pushing the switch in a particular direction causes the mirror to rotate in that direction. The inspector can place the foot of the device under the vehicle with a pole at an attitude that is chosen to be comfortable. Thereafter, the mirror may be rotated with the switch so as to direct the line of sight at various points under the vehicle body without having to readjust the pole for each angle of view.
A more recent approach to a remote inspection device is disclosed in a U.S. Patent of Rzyski, U.S. Pat. No. 6,369,849. The Rzyski patent discloses a remote inpection devise that includes an elongate housing, camera means and power supply for powering the camera means and video display. The camera means operates in the invisible light spectrum, preferably the infrared (IR) spectrum. The camera means creates an image of an object which is transmitted to the video display for producing a visible light image of the object to be evaluated.
Notwithstanding the above, it is presently believed that there is a need and a potential market for an improved inspection device in accordance with the present invention. There should be a demand because such devices provide a more thorough or more detailed examination of the underside of a vehicle, are less stressful to use and provide better illumination for an inspection. Further, the improved inspection device in accordance with the present invention can be manufactured and sold at a reasonable cost, are durable, easy to use and easily serviced and maintained. In addition, the devices incorporate rechargeable batteries, an indicator that warns a user of a low charge on the battery and are waterproofed in order to be useful in wet weather conditions.